Episode 2 - The Tutorial Heroine (3)
He scanned the classroom, eyes darting over each woman, searching for any sign of the Tutorial Heroine. No matter how intently he looked, he couldn't find anyone who fit the description. His classmates were anything but plain.
There was a girl working as a model, her poised demeanor captivating. Another was a standout athlete, radiating confidence and strength. Then there was one who exuded the grace of a refined young lady. None of them seemed remotely like the bland, one-dimensional Tutorial Heroine whose personality revolved entirely around the main character. It was hard to imagine the Tutorial Heroine being anywhere in this vibrant mix.
"I guess it's time to change my tactics. If she's not here, I need to search somewhere else," he concluded.
The class had ended, and it was time for lunch. Naoya made his way to the cafeteria, his eyes scanning the room for potential Tutorial Heroines. To his interest, each of them had a Love Meter floating above their heads, but all of them were set at 0/100.
"Well, that's no surprise, given that I'm not exactly a celebrity," he remarked with a wry grin.
Lost in thought about the girls, Naoya didn't notice a running girl ahead of him, who was juggling a mountain of items in her arms.
"Ah...!"
The impact sent the girl tumbling backward onto her butt, scattering the notebooks she was carrying across the floor.
"S-Sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going," Naoya said, quickly kneeling down to help her gather the scattered notebooks.
"I-It's fine," the girl replied as she joined him in collecting the notebooks. "It was my fault too; I wasn't paying attention either."
Naoya studied the girl closely. Although he didn't know her, she was probably from a different class. She was petite and plain, with chest-length black hair styled in low twin braids, bangs falling delicately to the side. Her light blue eyes peered out from behind thick black square-rimmed glasses, and her expression was one of quiet gloom. She had that typical air of someone who might be hiding their true beauty behind an unassuming exterior—an almost cliché setup. Naoya didn't see through it, though; to him, she appeared remarkably plain.
As he helped her gather the scattered notebooks, he noticed a name scrawled across the cover of one: Hoshizaki Kana.
"So, her name is Hoshizaki Kana. I don't know much about her, but why does that name sound so familiar? No, more like, her name doesn't seem to match her appearance at all."
Something about Hoshizaki Kana was bothering Naoya. He couldn't quite put his finger on it. He was certain he had heard the name before, and the reputation he'd heard about her didn't fit the plain girl in front of him.
"Oh, right," he recalled suddenly. "Hoshizaki Kana is that bully everyone talks about, right? I've heard so many nasty rumors about her being a mean girl. It's hard to believe it fits this girl at all."
After meticulously stacking the notebooks, the girl gave a brief bow of apology and quickly turned to leave. Naoya's gaze followed her as she walked away, her figure growing smaller in the distance.
"That can't be Hoshizaki Kana, can it?" Naoya mused, a sense of unease gnawing at him. He squinted, trying to make sense of the situation, when he noticed a Love Meter hovering above her with a reading of 5/100 and her name. The reality hit him—this wasn't Hoshizaki Kana. Her name was Hatayama Megumi.
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✽Quest✽
✱Follow Megumi
Reward:
﹡1 Attribute point
﹡5 Gold Coins
Penalty:
﹡- 5 Megumi's Affection point
Deadline:
1 hour
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Naoya didn't waste any time and decided to follow Megumi. He moved stealthily, making sure to keep a safe distance so she wouldn't notice him. His experience from trailing Hinako back in the day had turned him into an expert stalker, and now he was putting those skills to use.
If Naoya was right, this might be the Tutorial Heroine.
Finally, he arrived at the classroom Megumi had entered, which was right next to his own. Just as he reached the door, a panel appeared before his eyes.
---
✽Quest Completed✽
Reward:
﹡1 Attribute Point
﹡5 Gold Coins
Penalty Avoided:
﹡-5 Megumi's Affection Points
---
He ignored the panel for now, deciding to check it later. Peering into the classroom, he made sure not to be too obvious. The last thing he wanted was to be branded as a creep.
Inside, Megumi approached one of the girls in her class, who was surrounded by a group of other girls and several delinquent-looking students. This girl had the air of a Madonna of their class.
"Um, Hoshizaki-san, I've finished what you asked me to," Megumi said tentatively, handing over some of the notebooks she had been carrying.
"You're such a lifesaver, Megumi-chan! Like, seriously, I don't know what I'd do without you," the girl said with a smirk, flipping her bleached blonde hair over her shoulder. Her long, glittering acrylic nails tapped rhythmically on the desk, and her gaze was as sharp as her attitude.
"She must be Hoshizaki Kana," Naoya thought as he watched her closely.
Kana fit the gyaru stereotype perfectly—her appearance and behavior were exactly what he'd expect.
"She's probably got Megumi doing her homework for her..." Naoya mused.
His assumption was spot-on. Kana barely glanced at Megumi as she took the notebooks, her indifference unmistakable. Megumi, in contrast, went straight back to her desk, clearly accustomed to this treatment.
As Naoya watched, the group around Kana erupted in conversation, their voices a mix of excited chatter and laughter.
"Ah, Kana-chan, you're the best!" one of the gyarus exclaimed, her voice dripping with exaggerated gratitude. She flicked her long, highlighted hair over her shoulder with a dramatic flair.
"Yeah, seriously. I can't believe you got Megumi to do all our shit," another girl chimed in, laughing. "That's so epic. We don't even have to lift a finger now!"
Kana just smirked, her eyes half-closed as if she was basking in the attention. "Told ya, it's all about knowing how to use people. Megumi's such a sucker, always falling for it. She's like a walking, talking doormat."
"LOL, totally! I can't believe she actually falls for this crap every time," one of the delinquent-looking guys added, shaking his head in amusement. "I mean, seriously, does she not see how everyone's using her?"
"Yeah, it's like she's got 'I'm gullible' written on her forehead," another girl joked, making the others laugh. "Thanks to Kana-chan, we get to slack off while she does all the hard work. So awesome!"
Kana's smirk widened as she leaned back in her chair, clearly enjoying the praise and laughter at Megumi's expense.
"Wow... She's really scum of the Earth..." Naoya muttered under his breath. As he watched, another panel appeared before him.
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✽Quest✽
✱Embarrass Kana
Reward:
﹡1 Attribute point
﹡5 Gold Coins
﹡5 Megumi's Affection point
Penalty:
﹡- 5 Kana's Affection point
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